Pangha, Chiang Rai off-the-beaten-track

If you are a Thailand aficionado, you might know the province of Chiang Rai, a charming little area located on the Northern edge of the country. But Pangha? Well, that can be unheard-of for most people, even for a local like myself. I just came to know this village recently when I had to write about it.

Pangha is a little village in Mae Sai, next to the Thai-Myanmar border. The charm of this village lies in the serenity, plus little attractions like the activities and workshops organized by the community. There you can make your own mulberry paper in the workshop, have a facial treatment with local silk mask, handpick homegrown guava, have a bike trip to visit the biggest woven buddha statue or the Golden Triangle. There are many comfortable homestays in the village and the locals are very friendly. The best part, this village remains unspoiled by the mainstream tourism (they said until now there’s only one foreigner who ended up here by chance, well they meant he was lost, and he loved the place so much that he came back and stayed for another ten days), so it is a great place to unplug and recharge. (facebook.com/panghahomestay)